Lecture notes
Atypical and typical development
- Module
- Psychology (BB0000332308)
- Institution
- Staffordshire University
Atypical and typical development
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Definition: It is hard to define adolescence as it is evolving all the time through phycological,psychological, temporal and cultural lenses. It is only understood between the years of
puberty and social independence. The ages are between 10-18, but others say 9 to 26. Lack
of a definition could down to several factors such as:
The appreciated continuity of human development
A recognition of individual, cultural, gender and racial variability
The ascribed relative salience development milestones
A perpetually refined science of human development in a dynamically evolving
society
Transition period between childhood and adulthood. Associated with biological changes (puberty).
Physical Development
Mostly recognized is pubertal metamorphosis, this is the visible transformation from child to
adult. Physical growth and sexual maturation are influenced by:
Gender
Race
Body mass
Environmental influences
Health status
The beginning of puberty is 11 years. Boys are between 9 and 13.5 years and girls between 7
and 13 years. Growth spurt for women is between 10 to 12 and males is 12 to 14.
Early puberty = higher proportion of body fat and increased exposure to natural and
artificial light.
Delayed puberty = for boys is defined as the absence of testicular enlargement by age 14,
and in girls the absence of breast development by age 13.
Menstruation = Girls
Ejaculation = Boys
Size changes in external genitalia
Internal reproductive organs become fully functional
Increase level of sex hormones
Psychological effects
Adjustment to bodily changes
Self-esteem and self-conscious
Bullying – many victims blame themselves. Increases vulnerability to future victimisation.
Likelihood of negative effect. Decreases likelihood of help-seeking. (Boulton, 2005, 2013).
Effects of adult life, believing they are that. Very hard to grow out of that period.
Adolescent Brain Development
Functional Magnetic resonance Imaging (fMRI) – has contributed significantly to new
understandings of adolescent brain development. Fueled by a surge of sex hormones,
unique plasticity through the strengthening of frequently used neuronal connections, the
pruning of unused connections and increased sensitivity to environmental influences. MRI
studies show that the adolescent brain is very unique and very different from child and adult
brains. Extensive brain maturation occurs in three neuronal systems:
The reward system
The relationship system
The regulatory system
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller lucychapman. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £10.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
64257 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 15 years now
